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Nothing ever remains static: the face of the earth changes with seasons and continental shelves move. Such changes take place in matter of time and it goes without saying man is of no exception. How relevant is a man who holds the most powerful job on the earth? History does that while tastes of the masses may be manipulated to certain extent. History however has the last and more enduring word on him.
What with the mass media and TV we have become a visual generation. Recalling the Andy Warhol quote each of us holds the right to fame though it may be for some fifteen minutes. It may be through reality shows or as a witness in TV coverage for 6 o'clock news. Television has killed the art of conversation and instead we have talking heads whose style and contents are what matter for the ratings. Yes fifteen minutes of fame is enough for the audience whose attention span is correspondingly becoming shorter.
Looking at the appeal of the US presidents history judges them as tastes govern the appeal of fashion art and literature.
The Presidency of Andrew Jackson(1829-37)has undergone swings in popularity. Jackson presided over American expansion as well as subjugated the American Indians. The New Englanders and the Eastern gentry despised him as a frontiersman and a dangerous demagogue about money and banking. The historians of the early 20th century saw him as a democratic hero, coming out of the West to fight the moneyed Eastern interests. Thomas Jefferson is another. Jefferson, had his bitter critics to whom he was 'Mad Tom. Of his prodigious mind and its wide sweep no one had doubts. John F. Kennedy once invited a group of Nobel Prize winners to the Executive mansion and said thus: 'the most extraordinary collection of talent… that has ever been gathered together at the White House-with the possible exception of when Thomas Jefferson dined alone.' His personal stature or his qualities are not what makes his relevance count. His policies or what he stands for must mesh with the mood of the times like teeth of gears so history on its march keeps his relevance as obvious. No president or king is as relevant as to be in step with mood of the times all the time. Ronald Reagan came to power on the belief 'Politics is just like show business. You have hell of a opening, coast for a while and then have hell of a close'. He edged out Jimmy Carter from the Presidential race with the promise of getting the nation out of depression. 'I am speaking of depression in the human sense. A recession is when your neighbor is out of work. Recovery is when Carter is out of work.' Reagan was elected the President. His covert interference in Afghanistan to arm the Mujahiddins and break the back of the Soviets seemed to succeed. History however shows its terrible consequences even this day. As for his economic policies paved the way for the economic meltdown and recession of 2008.
Power is always a potent tool in the hands of a President in the US or anywhere else to shape destinies of people; and politics is the means to get the policies across but then they are on their own.(Ack:Hedley Donovan-Time/essay Nov 9,1981)


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quote:Originally posted by hennifer:
and the amount of rotoscoping (tracing from a live actor) they did was insane. every time there was a complicated action, it was rotoscoped. (for example, when kusanagi was getting up in the morning, and was silhouetted, it looked like a live actor was pasted into the scene)

subset: commoncrawl


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If you donated a blood or saliva sample and a filled-in pedigree chart at a genealogical conference or seminar during the past few years — thanks. You did us all a favor by contributing to the Sorenson Molecular Genealogy Foundation (SMGF) genetic-genealogy database. The nonprofit SMGF <www.smgf.org> aims to collect DNA samples and family trees from 100,000 people worldwide. Its researchers are using the test results to create a comprehensive database of genetic (Y-chromosome, mtDNA and autosomal DNA) and genealogical data they say will be a truly revolutionary tool for roots seekers. For privacy's sake, the database includes genealogical information only of ancestors born prior to 1900. So far, about 50,000 people have contributed their DNA and family data.
You already can search the SMGF site for Y-DNA matches by entering your test results in the foundation's Web site. An mtDNA database looms in the not-too-distant future. In time, SMGF says you'll be able to query the database for family information gleaned from more-meaningful autosomal DNA test results. It might be possible to learn, for example, that people of your genetic makeup were heavily concentrated in Finland in 1850, in Illinois in 1900 and so forth.


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On the rise since its launch in 2007, London-based fashion label Peter Pilotto, co-designed by Peter Pilotto and Christopher De Vos, is Target's latest design partner. The highly anticipated 70-piece collection ($14.99-$79.99) debuts this Sunday, Feb. 9, at most Target stores and target.com; also, for the very first time, select pieces will be sold by an outside retailer, Net-A-Porter.com, making the limited-edition collection accessible to an international audience. Fingers crossed that the computer crashes caused by previous Target designer launches don't morph into a global tech meltdown for frenzied fashion fans.
Known for vibrant, kaleidoscopic digital prints and figure-flattering silhouettes, Peter Pilotto won the prestigious 2014 British Fashion Council/Vogue Designer Fashion Fund award late last month, and the design duo is considered part of an emerging new guard of British fashion designers. The brand's spring 2014 collection, with rich textures inspired by the work of late Los Angeles-based artist and ceramicist Ken Price as seen at a Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) exhibition, features structured dresses, full skirts and midriff-baring tops.
While these silhouettes are repeated in the Peter Pilotto for Target line, as are colorful collages of print and texture, the limited-edition collection also takes the designers into new fashion territory with the addition of swimwear, beach towels and accessories such as sunglasses, tote bags and slip-on skater-style sneakers.
Last month, Sandra Bullock stepped out on the red carpet at the People's Choice Awards in a Peter Pilotto dress from the resort 2014 collection. Now everyone can afford to get in on the statement styles that other high-profile clients such as Cate Blanchett, Jennifer Lawrence, Miranda Kerr, Emma Watson, Kerry Washington, Kristen Stewart and even First Lady Michelle Obama have made famous.
Just plan to get up very early to shop on Sunday morning and preview key looks in our photo gallery, so you are ready to pounce.
Courtesy of Los Angeles Times


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Attend an Adult Coloring Class at the Stryker Branch Library on Tuesday, January 21st from 5:00 to 7:00 pm. Pictures and coloring utensils will be provided, but attendees are welcome to bring their own. Refreshments will be served. Come and relax at the library while coloring! The Stryker Branch Library is located at 304 South Defiance Street. For more information, please contact 833-633-READ ext. 298.
Stryker Branch


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As explained yesterday, the cost of testing and homologating cars to fit different regulations is a significant hurdle for selling cars in both America and the rest of the world. But it's not the only cost.
As reader Tim Tom explains, you have to think about production, and that's not always as simple as it sounds. That's double true in China, where the workforce appears very comfortable with quickly moving from one job to another for a raise.
As an automotive R&D engineer I don't think that the reasoning behind the certification is significant in the whole reason why we don't get certain cars in Europe, why you don't get certain in US and so on. It is far from the wonderland that one car can be sold all over the world except North America if there is a version with the steering wheel on both sides. The most popular car in the world - VW Golf is sold in dozens of versions that seem to be the same on the outside, or even in the catalog. Oil tank for cars with the same engine in Switzerland and Germany is 0,7 litre bigger than for cars exported to UK, or Hungary for example. France has it's own regulations for the windshield washfluid tank (It's early morning and I have to come up with my own translations, sorry), due to insurance costs the same engine has to be set to different power and torque numbers (many countries are setting insurance on cars according to number of ponies, so 140 in VW's 2.0tdi can be ok in one country, but other will get 138, because at 139 a higher insurance class is starting). Just adapting the engine to the fuels used in US and Canada is more expensive than getting certification.
The real reason is price. Take for example Fiat 500, but even better - Fiat 500L. You can get Jeep Grand Cherokee for the price of the top trim 500L. You are not realizing it in US, but you have to privilege to buy your cars very, very cheap. Even if EUR to USD conversion was 1:1 exporting cheap cars from Europe to US would be very expensive and would bring very little revenue. BMW, Mercedes and Audi US are making very little money on cars they sell in US if they have to build the cars in Europe and ship it. This is why Mexico is the future of cars for US. Heck even for EU. Half of Skoda Octavia sold on B markets (countries between Austria and Romania, from Austria to the west it's A, from Romania to the east it is C) are shipped from Mexico because the Czech factories are busy producing A quality.
And premium brands can afford it to sell cars with lower margins, far worse troubles for them is to sell cars in Asia. One of the reason China is growing so freakin fast is that it is now basically a vicious circle. You want to produce something cheap, you need to go to China, but if you want to sell something in China...you need to go China and make it there as well. It is almost impossible to sell a tire in China if it did not come from tire factory located in China. That is why Conti, Michelin and all the others had to build or buy rubber companies there. You think VW is happy to have a joint venture with the Chinese government and the CEO of VW is really smiling at the chinese managers in the PR events? They got their hands on every screw in the engines, in the whole cars, half of the Cherry and other chinese car brands models are cars from GM and VW, they tried to sue but the dimensions are changed by one millimeter here and there, no patent infringement. If you want to sell cars in China, you have to build factory there. BMW's worst nightmare. Whole automotive market is expecting that China will buy dozens of millions cars each year. And the fluctuation of workforce in China is horrible. It is actually more expensive to build a car for BMW or VW in China than it is in Europe. Yes the hourly rate is lower but...the assembly line worker usually stays within one factory less than a year. He gets the training in VW and then gets a one dollar per hour more in BMW, then Cisco builds a new factory right next door, then he can go back to VW...
I flew to Hefei, China 3 times in 2013 to train a person for the same job. It costs 15000 EUR to train a person, he gets the basics in the automotive IT systems, and in 6 months he leaves to the competitor's factory with a CV that says "senior"..they know very well he is not a senior, but they don't have to spend 15000 on training, so they win anyway. We spent 45000 to train 3 people for one job last year, and we have dozens of such jobs just in R&D. The high fluctuation just in our 4 factories in China, Malaysia and 2 in India, is costing the company approx. 90 million each year. You would think that "just pay them more"... no. These are not Foxconn jobs for few dollars a day. Top management will leave the company for very little raise..
And last but not least - you guys pay literally half for gas than Europe does, but you are not using the advantage to get twice the mileage for the same money, you use it to buy cars with half the mileage than people in Europe. Your speed limits are worse than in most of Europe, yet you think 120bhp car is a rickshaw. The entry engine in Toyota Yaris IS is bigger than the one we are buying in Auris/Corolla. Just one of the crazy differences...
And you will never get French cars, because... France.
Well, that's a lot to sort through. In the end, it all comes down to how much money a carmaker has to pay to get how big of a slice of a market. This should give you slightly better idea of what some of the money side of that equation looks like.
Photo Credit: Getty Images, FAW factory in Haikou, China pictured in 2004


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Canada's only herd of genetically engineered pigs has been killed, putting in jeopardy a plan to turn the technology into the first GE animal approved for human consumption.
The University of Guelph, which holds the patent for the so-called Enviropigs, quietly killed the remaining animals last month after failing to find an industry partner to continue to fund the project that began in 1999 with an ambitious commercialization plan.
There were 10 remaining animals in the herd from the 10th generation of the pigs, which were first created with a snippet of mouse DNA introduced into their chromosomes and engineered to produce low-phosphorus feces and reduce waste at large factory farms.
The project's future was put into doubt earlier this spring, when industry association Ontario Pork decided to end its financial support.
The genetic information is being preserved in long-term safe storage at the Canadian Agricultural Genetics Repository Program operated by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada in Saskatoon, university spokeswoman Lori Bona Hunt told Postmedia News Thursday.
Still, the depopulation of the herd could torpedo the university's applications with Health Canada and the Food and Drug Administration in the United States for the Enviropig to become meat on kitchen tables.
In a statement, Bona Hunt said the applications "to assess the safety of Enviropigs for human food and animal feed are currently under review," but raised the spectre of the university pulling the plug at some point, saying "they will remain active until a regulatory decision is made or until such time that the university no longer desires to obtain a final decision from the regulatory evaluators."
Calling the deaths a "sad but necessary conclusion to an unwanted and unnecessary GE experiment," Lucy Sharratt of the Canadian Biotechnology Action Network said the regulatory review process should be aborted immediately because there is no longer the scientific capacity at the University of Guelph to answer any questions arising from Health Canada's ongoing safety assessment of Enviropigs for human food and animal feed.
"The university has no business wasting public funds on a review for a technology that no one wants, that's so commercially unviable," said Sharratt, who also placed blame on the federal government.
"It's unacceptable that Health Canada would continue spending time on this file when it's obviously being packed away. There needs to be a clear process for shutting down review processes for GE products that are going nowhere."
Health Canada has repeatedly said the government cannot comment on any applications to assess the safety of any GE animal for human food.
The pigs were euthanized on May 24.
It occurred just days after North America's largest farm animal protection group launched a public campaign to save the lives of the swine. New York-based Farm Sanctuary offered to work with the university to find "loving homes for the Enviropigs" to "live out their unnatural lives as naturally as possible."
Bona Hunt said that the university received "many generous and well-intentioned offers," but there was "absolutely no opportunity for this to occur, as adoption, donation or transfer of the animals would represent a breach of protocols and Canadian policies."
Added Bona Hunt: "Releasing the Enviropigs would also have violated Canadian regulations for the containment and use of transgenic animals, and possibly compromised consumer safety and market protection."
The University of Guelph had previously filed an application with Environment Canada to permit the GE pig to be farmed commercially, and cleared an important hurdle in February 2010. At the time, the department determined the GE pig did not harm the environment under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act and accepted the University of Guelph's notice of significant new activity — meaning the GE pig could be farmed commercially.
Twitter: @SarahSchmidtPN


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The recent death of a Sea World trainer has me thinking again about the whole 'animals in captivity', 'animals for our entertainment' …
Haven't we as humans made incredible leaps in technology in a very short period of time considering the whole history of the world? Look at the movie Avatar. Look at all the beautiful IMAX movies that are out there. This 3D experience could really grow and become something.
This is my vision:
In the not too distant future, there will no longer be a need for zoos or aquariums or live animal- themed parks. All those captive creatures will live out their lives in their natural habitats. Of course there'd be a transition period for those that have lived in captivity…..they'd have to go to sanctuaries or reserves as they might not do so well in the really wild world. While that transition is taking place, the techies and the incredible animators of today will be creating entire virtual worlds… huge theme parks with simulated jungles, oceans, and mountains filled with virtual life!
We would enter these parks, 3D glasses in hand and walk (or swim) amongst the creatures that now we can only view from behind bars or glass tanks. The sounds, the smells, the humid air of a rainforest would all be simulated and we'd feel like we're really there.
AND….get this ( this is the best part )…NO ANIMALS WOULD HARMED OR 'TRAINED' OR CAGED for our pleasure and amusement at all!
What do you think? Is this possible?
Anouk Bikkers
Create Your Badge


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Private sector support for the arts
We, in collaboration with Creative Partnerships Australia, have released new analysis on private sector support for Australia's vibrant arts and culture sector.
Demand for fixed-line broadband
New research confirms that Australia will have the infrastructure required to meet demand for data and bandwidth over the next decade.
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Meek Mill - "Dreams & Nightmares" Documentary
*WSHH Exclusive*
an in depth look on the life of Meek Mill leading up to his highly anticipated debut album. Buy Meek's album "Dreams & Nightmares" on iTunes now: http://bit.ly/SsFmWK
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Group Bids: Exclusive bids from agencies published directly in the Purchasing Group
Statewide Bids:Additional solicitations from government agencies throughout the state(s)
Welcome to the MITN Purchasing Group!
The Michigan Inter-governmental Trade Network (MITN) participating local government purchasing departments invite vendors to register for exclusive access to RFPs, bids and awards on the bid system. Registered vendors benefit with access to bid information & documents in a central location from nearly 200 Michigan local governments. Please register or Login to access open bids and RFPs.
Bids published before June 10, 2017 may be found at the Legacy site.
Grow your government business in Michigan! Register today to receive real-time notifications of matching bids, access documents & receive real-time addendum.


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Authorities search for 2 missing men
Baltimore County man missing; Anne Arundel County man missing
Authorities are looking for two men who went missing in separate occurrences in Baltimore and Anne Arundel counties.
Baltimore County police are asking for the public's help finding Charles Joseph Weiman.
The 48-year-old man was reported missing on Feb. 25. Police said Weiman does not have a fixed address, and was last seen by acquaintances in November of 2012. He frequents the Back River Neck area of Essex.
Weiman is described as a white man, 5 feet 9 inches tall, weighing 160 pounds, with brown hair and blue eyes. There is no known direction of travel, clothing description, or vehicle description.
Anyone with information about the whereabouts of Charles Weiman is asked to contact the Baltimore County Police Department at 410-307-2020.
Meanwhile, Anne Arundel County police said they are looking for a missing 61-year-old man.
Police said Francis Winfield Smith was last seen Wednesday when he left his home to go fishing. He was last seen walking on Bayard Road in Lothian around 8 p.m., police said.
Smith is described as a black man, 5 feet 8 inches tall, 150 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes. Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Sgt. John Poole with the Missing Persons Unit at 410-222-3446.


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CORINA COPP is a writer and theater artist based in New York. Her first full-length book of poems, The Green Ray, has just been published by Ugly Duckling Presse. Recent work can be found in Cabinet, BOMB, Corrected Slogans: Reading and Writing Conceptualism (Triple Canopy), SFMOMA's Open Space, and elsewhere. Excerpts of her three-part play, The Whole Tragedy of the Inability to Love, have have been presented in a group show, Un, Deux, Trois, at Home Alone 2 Gallery (09/14, performed with Lanny Jordan Jackson); at the NYC Prelude Festival, Dixon Place, and through the support of the LMCC Workspace program. Copp is a curator at the Segue Foundation.
LANNY JORDAN JACKSON is a filmmaker, writer, artist, and performer living in New York. He is the author of the chapbooks VILLI (2010), Dear Swimmer (2011), the films Vivian (2013), Triple Shark Cerberus (2013), Scorpio vs. Glass Door Restaurant (2014), and variety of performance pieces.
ANDREW MAXWELL's recent collections of aphorism and poetry include Peeping Mot (Apogee, 2013) and Candor is the brightest shield (Ugly Duckling, 2014). An artist's book with illustrator Nathan Gelgud, Beggars of Life, is forthcoming later this year. He lives in Los Angeles, where he co-directs the Poetic Research Bureau reading series and DJs a weekly radio show of outernational obscurites, The Dream of Harry Lime.
Doors open 7, reading: 7:30pm
Poetic Research Bureau
951 Chung King Rd.
Los Angeles, CA 90012


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Novus International's Scott Hine Recognized Amongst Top 100 STEM Leaders
Executives were selected based on their commitment to STEM education in the workplace
ST. LOUIS (Dec. 4, 2015)—Novus International, Inc., a leader in animal nutrition through health, announced today their VP of Products & Solutions and Chief Innovation Officer has been recognized as one of the top 100 CIO/CTO Leaders in STEM for 2015, published by STEMconnector®, the one-stop resource for "who is doing what" in STEM education and careers. The annual publication showcases executives who have demonstrated a strong commitment to cultivating a Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) workforce.
"I am honored to have received this recognition. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimates the global food industry will need to improve productivity by 70 percent and feed over nine billion people by 2050," commented Hine. "This is a daunting challenge for the world, and STEM education will be critical to delivering solutions. Novus shares a responsibility with our food chain partners to help feed the world affordable, wholesome food. We can help meet this challenge by continuing to invest in the best and brightest minds and passions to help advance methods, practices and collaborative approaches within all parts of the food value chain. STEM education will help us all maintain or improve quality of life, doing more with the limited precious resources we have on this earth."
"We are proud to highlight 100 Chief Information Officers and Chief Technology Officers and recognize their leadership and excellence," said Edie Fraser, chief executive officer of STEMconnector®. "Technology is number one for business and jobs. The role of the CIO/CTO becomes critical to business and innovation."
Each senior executive profile includes their thought-provoking responses to questions about STEM education, workforce development, public-private partnerships and how diversity in STEM will influence the national conversations regarding these issues.
100 CIO/CTO Leaders in STEM is a STEMconnector® publication sponsored by Cisco, Deloitte Consulting, Diversified Search and Tata Consultancy Services. For this particular issue, STEMconnector® partnered with CIO Executive Council and DiversityComm. To view the full list of honorees and download the electronic version of 100 CIO/CTO Leaders in STEM, go to http://www.stemconnector.org/sites/default/files/100CIOCTOLeadersInSTEM.pdf.
About Novus International, Inc.
Novus International, Inc. is headquartered in metropolitan St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.A. and serves customers in over 100 countries around the world. A global leader in developing animal health and nutrition solutions, Novus International's products include ALIMET® and MHA® feed supplements, ACTIVATE® nutritional feed acid, ACIDOMIX® preservative premixture, CIBENZA® enzyme feed additive, MINTREX® chelated trace minerals, SANTOQUIN® feed preservative, AGRADO® feed antioxidant and many other specialty ingredients. Novus is privately owned by Mitsui & Co. (U.S.A.), Inc. and Nippon Soda Co., Ltd. For more information, visit www.novusint.com. ©2015 Novus International, Inc. All rights reserved.
About STEMconnector®
STEMconnector® is a consortium of over 150 companies, associations, academic institutions and government entities actively working to advance STEM education and the future of human capital. With several products and services, STEMconnector® is both a resource and a service, designed to link "all things STEM." STEMconnector®'s® network includes organizations at the global, national, state and local levels. Our work spans the entire pipeline (Kindergarten to Jobs) and how STEM education experiences translate into careers. STEMconnector® has a particular emphasis on diversity and women.
Lorena Fimbres
Tracy Snider


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By Monica Drake
The Oakland Press
OAKLAND TOWNSHIP (AP) -- After a "hate list" was written in the girl's bathroom at Oakview Middle School, four students decided they wanted to do something to make the girls feel good about themselves instead.
The eighth graders went to school almost an hour early and hung posters in every girls' bathroom and locker room in the Oakland Township school. At a sleepover, the girls made 16 neon colored posters with the words "Take what you need" on top. The poster was set up like a "For sale" sign with tabs across the bottom that girls could rip off. On the tabs were written words such as love, hope, strength, courage, understanding, loyalty and patience.
Afterward, the entire school was talking about these posters. By the end of the day, all 160 of the tabs were gone. The middle school girls would meet in the hallways, talking about the word they took and wondering who put these posters up in the bathrooms.
And these four girls, while trying to keep a straight face, kept the secret -- wanting to remain anonymous.
That was until one of their parents called The Oakland Press, wanting to recognize the four girls for what they did. And, on Thursday afternoon, the four friends -- Abbie Wise, Isabella Griesser, Courtney Kohlstedt and Abbey Burk -- were surprised at their school.
Griesser said, "We weren't looking for extra attention for what we did."
Wise said this project has brought the four of them closer together. She said, in between her classes, she would go to the bathroom to see what girls were saying. Girls would say, "This made my day. I wonder who did this. I hope they do it again."
And Wise just pretended she had no idea.
"It was amazing seeing people walking around with it in their hands," she said.
The girls said they want to do something like this every month.
"We were going to put sticky notes on the mirrors, like 'You're beautiful' and 'You're smart,'" said Kohlstedt. "Not every girl, every day, has a guy tell her she's beautiful or someone to tell her she's beautiful. Sometimes, all you have to do is read it or know you are, even if nobody tells you."
Kohlstedt said several of her friends have had notes shoved into the top of their lockers with the words, "You're ugly" or "You're fat" written inside.
Burk said a lot of girls in their class think that beauty is the only thing that matters.
"Everyone is unique in their own way. Everyone is beautiful in their own way. You don't have to fit in with everybody else. And sometimes you just need to have someone tell you," Burk said.
Oakview Vice Principal Sarah Perry said there have been mean messages written on the bathroom walls this year directly targeting individual girls. She said she knows how badly this hurts.
"When kids told me, 'Did you hear about what's going on in the bathroom?' My first reaction was, 'Uh-oh.' I feel an obligation to take care of the kids, and I know the whole staff feels that way," said Perry. "But to hear something good, it was not just a sigh of relief, but goose bumps. And to hear the reactions of students, it brought tears to my eyes how excited the kids were to take those positive messages."
Perry said she is so proud of the girls, and she hopes this will inspire others to do something similar.
"They just came in early and watched the reactions. They didn't want any credit for it. They just wanted to make other people happy and put other people first," she said. "The best part of it is they did it even when no one was watching."
Published: Wed, Feb 20, 2013


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Displayed at the Fanabriques 2012 LEGO exhibition this past June, Nico71's Lego loom uses only one motor!
The system is very simple, a lever rotates on the primary shaft and makes contact with a cam one time per revolution. When this cam is pushed, it pulls on a rod which operates the main pushed system (green beam). This device allows the system to push the shuttle during the overall crossing through the threads. Even if the slider is a bit smaller, the reed is a bit wrong placed or the threads are a bit not enough tight, the shuttle is forced to pass through. Thanks to that, the system is always in contact with the shuttle, resulting in a significantly increasing of reliability.


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Valentine Statement Gold Hoop Earrings
Available on backorder
Affordable Minimalist Jewellery in Singapore: Shop online, we ship internationally
Welcome to C U R A T E : our line of thoughtfully selected statement worthy and minimalist jewellery from around the globe – including earrings, necklaces, rings, bangles and bracelets – for the modern woman. Born to inspire. Because we believe less is more. Based in Singapore, we ship worldwide.
What you need right now: Gold hoop earrings and dangle earrings
If you like minimalist gold jewellery for everyday wear or sleek, bold statement pieces for evening wear that resemble wearable art, you'll love our collection. We've got everything you need from minimalist to statement pieces to work your outfit for that effortless chic look. Gold earrings, hoop earrings, dangle earrings or minimalist earrings – it's time to don these timeless pieces for maximum style.
Our Gold Statement Earrings package include
- 1 x pair of Valentine Statement Gold Hoop Earrings
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Best paired with our handmade rattan bags and leather shoes.
Unless we have your size in stock, your item will be backorder and takes 2 weeks to arrive.
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Image spam might tell us a lot about "ideal" humans, but not by showing actual humans: quite the contrary. The models in image spam are photochopped replicas, too improved to be true. A reserve army of digitally enhanced creatures who resemble the minor demons and angels of mystic speculation, luring, pushing and blackmailing people into the profane rapture of consumption.
Image spam is addressed to people who do not look like those in the ads: they neither are skinny nor have recession-proof degrees. They are those whose organic substance is far from perfect from a neoliberal point of view. People who might open their inboxes every day waiting for a miracle, or just a tiny sign, a rainbow at the other end of permanent crisis and hardship. Image spam is addressed to the vast majority of humankind, but it does not show them. It does not represent those who are considered expendable and superfluous—just like spam itself; it speaks to them.
The image of humanity articulated in image spam thus has actually nothing to do with it. On the contrary, it is an accurate portrayal of what humanity is actually not. It is a negative image...
— The Spam of the Earth: Withdrawal from Representation by Hito Steyerl (e-Flux #32)


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Omya's calcium carbonate is applied to enhance mechanical properties and improve productivity in a wide variety of rigid and flexible packaging applications, from thin films to thicker sheets. Calcium carbonate can boost the output of processing lines while achieving improved impact strength and higher stiffness.
Omya's products improve the mechanical properties and enhance the conversion performance in addition to a tangible raw material, production time and carbon footprint savings.
Omya brings innovation to both consumer and industrial polymer packaging market offering several solutions for primary, secondary and tertiary packaging bases on HDPE, PP, PS, PET and other special polymer types. Carrier bags, cavitated & shrink-wrapped film, sleeve labels, trays, lids, bottles and caps & closure are just few and today well known examples of plastic articles where Omya's calcium carbonates contribute to a fundamental and valuable packaging optimization.
Omya's calcium carbonates also offer substantial environmental benefits by reducing CO2 emission, energy and petrochemical derivate consumption during packaging manufacturing and conversion processes and by minimizing LCA (Life Cycle Assessment) of finished plastic products. Omya is pleased to promote that its calcium carbonate when added to plastic products reduces the overall negative impact upon the plastic articles by replacing part of the petrochemical based components, which has led to a strong development in environmentally friendly applications with tangible goals on less emission of greenhouse gases and air pollutants (NOx and particulates).
Usage of calcium carbonates in PE film manufacturing increases line speed and specific output, faster heating and cooling cycles result in enhanced machine uptime. The main benefits for the end product include are for instance reduced raw material costs, improved mechanical strength and barrier properties.
BOPP films containing calcium carbonates providing either reduced film density or increased opacity and show up improved printability.
The main benefits of using Omya mineral additives in polypropylene market for tapes, straps, bags and big bags manufacturing considers manly the possibility to achieve outstanding mechanical properties and superior quality at ever-increasing mineral loadings. The main benefits in production include for example reduced splitting propensity of oriented polypropylene and increased stiffness.
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But as the "science" continues to crumble, critics of UN global-warming theories are still on the march despite essentially proclaiming victory. Activists literally parachuted into Durban with banners hailing "Climategate 2.0." The growing scandal surrounding embarrassing climate e-mails leaked just before the summit has largely overshadowed the climate talks themselves.
"Media covering COP17 are kidding themselves if they think they can ignore and wish away Climategate 2.0," said Executive Director Craig Rucker of the liberty-minded environmental group Committee For A Constructive Tomorrow (CFACT), which helped organize the skydiving operation to "wake up this conference and place the Climategate evidence of corrupted science where the world must see it."
This week, in the wake of Climategate 2.0, the lone GOP presidential hopeful clinging to UN theories, Jon Huntsman, finally jumped ship too. "The scientific community owes us more in terms of a better description of explanation about what might lie beneath all of this," Huntsman said, adding that there was not enough information to formulate policy right now and that there are "questions about the validity of the science" raised by the Climategate e-mails.
Some prominent U.S. lawmakers, meanwhile, celebrated recent developments. U.S. Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.), a fierce critic of UN climate alarmism, sent a video to be presented at the global body's climate summit that all but officially pronounces the death of the alarmist movement.
The climate charade has "completely collapsed" after suffering a "scientific death of a thousand cuts," Inhofe noted, saying he wished he could be in Durban to celebrate the "final nail in the coffin" of global-warming hysteria. And the world knows the jig is up.
"The message from Washington to the UN delegates in South Africa this week could not be any clearer: you are being ignored," Sen. Inhofe said in the video. "And you are being ignored by your biggest allies in the United States: President Obama and the Democratic leadership in the Senate." (The video is embedded at the end of this article.)
Inhofe said the so-called "cap-and-trade" regime would have been the biggest tax increase in U.S. history, so its final defeat is good news for regular people. "This victory is especially important today, as families in America and around the world continue to face tough economic times," he said. "Tossing out any remote possibility of a U.N. global warming treaty is one of the most important things we can do for the economy."
In 2009, Obama, Al Gore, and a collection of alarmist democrat lawmakers traveled to the COP15 in Copenhagen to announce that the U.S. government would join the UN in creating a global cap-and-trade scheme. Sen. Inhofe also appeared, but to tell the assembled governments and climate dignitaries that the U.S. Senate would never consent.
"I was right and they were wrong," Inhofe noted. "Nevertheless, President Obama and his allies in the far-left environmental movement are working under the radar to impose global-warming restrictions in the United States through regulations by the Environmental Protection Agency."
Making matters worse, Inhofe said, was that Obama was moving forward with the economy-destroying rules using theories from the "now-discredited" UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). And while cap and trade might be dead once and for all, the cabal that advanced it is still around plotting its next move.
"The real agenda of the climate alarmists is to promote massively expanded government regulation worldwide, at the expense of jobs creation and economic growth," noted CFACT chief Rucker. "The policies they advocate will do the greatest harm to the world's poorest people and ensure that citizens of developing nations have no chance at true freedom and prosperity."
But while governments seeking carbon taxes or climate booty from rich nations continue their frantic efforts to save the climate talks, most have given up — at least for now. The 1997 Kyoto Protocol climate agreement is set to expire next year as well, and it appears almost certain that it will die before a successor arrives on the scene.
Even UN boss Ban Ki-moon essentially conceded defeat temporarily, admitting that there would be no binding treaty emerging from the COP17. "We must be realistic about expectations for a breakthrough in Durban," he declared on Tuesday as governments squabbled over "emissions limits" and whose taxpayers would pay how much to whom. "The ultimate goal for a comprehensive and binding climate-change agreement may be beyond our reach for now."
However, even as a solid climate agreement eludes negotiators, there is a possibility that some important measures could still emerge from the conference by the final day. Among other proposals, global taxes on shipping to fund international bodies and handing out money to regimes ruling less-developed countries are being seriously discussed.
And progress is also being made on deciding a date by which a "binding" world agreement should be forged. "We're not setting a hard target on this date ... [but] 2015 would be a reasonable target to set to pull together any new climate change regime," Canadian Environment chief Peter Kent told reporters. "If we can reach one before 2015, that would be good, if it takes somewhat longer, that would be fine ... but we can't leave Durban without a firm agreement." Others agreed.
Incredibly, most climate dignitaries have continued to issue statements that critics said suggested that they must be working within a bubble. Even as the "science" continues to crumble all around them — the wildly inaccurate models and forecasts being exposed, the leaked anti-scientific e-mails of top UN climate "scientists," and countless other scandals — global-warming negotiators still insist that the "science" somehow "demands" global taxes, economy-destroying regulations, massive transfers of wealth to assorted dictators, and more.
Meanwhile, a report released on December 8 by Climate Depot has shattered the myth of "consensus" on UN global-warming theories. Signed by over 1,000 scientists from around the world including many current and former IPCC scientists, the document and the statements contained within it are proving to be extraordinarily embarrassing to the tax-funded alarmists in Durban.
"Despite what you may have heard in the media, there is nothing like a consensus of scientific opinion that this is a problem," explained the IPCC's Tom Tripp, who served on the UN climate body since 2004 and is listed as one of the lead authors. "Because there is natural variability in the weather, you cannot statistically know for another 150 years."
Many other experts quoted in the report reached even more damning conclusions. "Any reasonable scientific analysis must conclude the basic theory wrong!!" wrote NASA Scientist Dr. Leonard Weinstein, who currently serves as a Senior Research Fellow at the National Institute of Aerospace. Hundreds of other respected scientists offered similar assertions.
But even as many scientists say the climate "scam" is unraveling, analysts noted that the vested interests would not be disappearing without a long and hard fight. Researchers on the taxpayer dole, dictators seeking handouts, Western governments looking for new revenue streams, global bureaucrats after more power, and many others all depend on the perpetuation of alarmism.
There are literally trillions of dollars at stake. And if the global-warming crusade publicly implodes, it will all come crashing down. Plus, the next UN scheme will be much harder to market.
Related articles:
Hysteria Rises as UN Climate Talks in Durban Heat Up
Climategate 2: More E-mails Leaked Ahead of UN Summit
Climate Change Believers Agree — Their Models Don't
Cancun: Global Hysteria, Wealth Redistribution
Cheers and Jeers at Copenhagen's Climate Conference
WikiLeaks Reveals U.S. & EU Climate Bullying, Bribery, Espionage
Copenhagen Report: Obama Fails to "Seal the Deal"
Critics Blast New Wave of UN Climate Scaremongering
Wind Turbines & "Green" Subsidies Under Fire
UN Coverup of "Climate Refugees" Scandal Fails
Will "Rich" Nations Shy Away From a New Climate Treaty?
Global-warming Alarmism Dying a Slow Death
U.S. Cooling, Not Warming, Over Past Decade, Govt. Data Show


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Tons of bricks poured down on to the sidewalk, crushing a vehicle nearly flat. Tons of bricks fell onto, and then through, the roof of the Woodhaven-Richmond Hill Volunteer Ambulance Corps, badly damaging the kitchen and rear exit. But after all the dust had settled, the prevailing reaction to this incident was that it could have been worse, much worse.
An hour or two earlier and we could be writing a completely different story this week. A car can be replaced. Rubble can be cleared and kitchens can be repaired. A real tragedy would have been to lose someone because of a poorly maintained building. So, we consider ourselves lucky and deal with it.
The Corps building is the home to the Catholic Charities Neighborhood Services Woodhaven Senior Center, where many of our seniors come to have lunch and interact with one another. It's a wonderful program and our immediate concern was that it would be derailed for an extended period of time.
But people put their heads together and came up with a plan to get the seniors through what is now an inconvenience, rather than a tragedy. Shuttle buses will leave from All Nations Baptist Church (80th Street and 87th Avenue, two blocks south of Jamaica Avenue) every half hour between 9:30 and 11:30 a.m.
The seniors will be taken to the Catholic Charities Senior Center in Ozone Park (103-02 101st Avenue) and they will be provided with transportation back to Woodhaven.
"The people at All Nations could not have been any nicer," said Debbie Hoffer, director of Field Operations for Catholic Charities Older Adult Services. "They brought out chairs for our seniors to sit on while they wait. They have been very warm and welcoming."
It is not known for how long the Woodhaven Senior Center will be closed, much of that will depend how long it takes to secure the corner building. Scaffolding and protective fencing have already been erected and workers have begun taking apart the 2nd floor. Once that is secure, work can begin on the Corps' building.
But the best estimate right now is that we are looking at weeks, not months, before our seniors will be back in their familiar home. "The food was already being prepared in Ozone Park," Hoffer explained. "So the only real change is going to be how we serve it."
Meanwhile, the Woodhaven-Richmond Hill Volunteer Ambulance Corps also considers itself lucky. The building could have been damaged far worse. The large meeting room, the hallways, bathrooms, offices, garage and the ambulance itself escaped largely unharmed.
"We've been through a lot," Corps President Kathy Sexton Dalbey said, referring to other periods of trouble, including a major fire years ago that did extensive damage. "We've always come back strong and this time will be no different."
Meanwhile, the Woodhaven Residents' Block Association will be relocating their Saturday, April 20, meeting, which will now begin at 1 p.m. at Emanuel United Church of Christ (corner of 91st Avenue and Woodhaven Boulevard, enter through the 91st Avenue entrance).
One of the WRBA's guests this coming Saturday will be Peter Vallone of the City Council, who is one of six candidates currently running for Queens borough president.
We will be also be discussing Operation Identification, which is offered free of charge by the New York City Police Department. The program involves engraving an identifiable serial number on all portable valuables such as computers, fax machines, copiers, etc., and registering only the number and the owners name and address with the Police Department.
There are some good reasons to participate: (a) the marked property is more difficult for a thief to sell; and (b) stolen property in the possession of a thief is easily traceable and can be returned to its rightful owner.
The WRBA and the 102nd Precinct are holding an Operation ID event on Saturday, April 27, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at our office, 84-20 Jamaica Avenue. You will also be able to register in the Combat Auto Theft (CAT) and Help End Auto Theft (HEAT) programs, as well as scheduling your vehicles for VIN Etching. Hope to see you there!


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Thuka Hit 4 Childrens Mid Sleeper Bed
by Thuka
The Thuka Trendy 12 midsleeper bed set is fantastic. From one of the top childrens bed manufacturers, Thuka, this wonderful bed is made from durable Scandinavian pine. Choice of colours too.
The Trendy 12 wooden midsleeper bed from Thuka.
This Trendy 12 bed is fun and funky. Made from sturdy Scandinavian pine in a great range of optional extras. Choose from either a natural lacquered pine, or whitewashed finish for your frame, then choose the colour of your panels to suit.
A fantastic range of options are also available with the Thuka Trendy range, such as pocket tidies, bendy lights, clip on shelves and more, to make your childs bed perfect for them. There is also a build service available to save your valuable time.
The Thuka Trendy 12 is fantastic value, practical and lots of fun.
Our full range of midsleeper beds.
Thuka Safety Tested: All Thuka beds are constructed with great attention to safety. The furniture is designed for children, with details like rounded edges and corners. All beds are safety tested to meet standards and approved by international test institues.
Please note - Price is for the bed frame only. Furniture, mattress and accesories are not included in the initial price.
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Thuka Trendy 12 Mid Sleeper Bed
Length - 210 cm
Width with straight ladders - 106 cm
Width with slanted ladders - 136 cm
Height - 118 cm
Mattress Requirements
Please note that this item requires an European size mattress:-
3ft (90cm) x 6ft 6 (200cm)
Mattress Depth - no more than 6"
All dimensions are approximate.
With this item
We offer free UK Mainland delivery, except for Scotland, which requires a small charge to deliver to. Please contact us for exact details.
We also offer Saturday delivery for an additional £30.00 which will be added to your total when you select Saturday delivery at the basket stage of checkout.
We'd hate to miss you. Exact times for deliveries cannot be guaranteed, so please try and make sure someone is on hand to take your delivery. If you miss your delivery, we will pop a card through your letter box for you to get in touch to re-arrange delivery.
Please make sure to inspect your delivery as soon as you receive it. If the packaging looks damaged, please make a note of it when you sign for it and contact us if there is a problem. We want to make sure you're 100% happy with your delivery.
If, in the very rare event of missing or damaged parts or fixings, contact us immediately so we can get your replacement items to you as soon as possible. We will ask for photos to be emailed to us so we can assess any damage or issue.
You can have total peace of mind with our 14 day, no quibble, money back policy. Details of which can be found on our returns page. We're here to help you every step of the way, our customers happiness is always our number one aim. We will ask for photos to be emailed to us so we can assess packaging is adequate for our couriers to collect.
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* Please note that the room of choice service is subject to carriers terms and conditiions.
Please be aware that it is fully the responsibility of the customer to make sure that the items will go into the property, (and in the case of "room of choice" deliveries, being delivered up stairs or to room of choice) and carton sizes can be provided to you on request. If, upon or after delivery, the items will not fit in the property, or up any stairs, or into a certain room, then this will be classed as a "failed delivery" and the customer will be responsible for any "failed delivery" charges (including any extra you may have paid to upgrade to this service) or collection charges incurred by ourselves.. 9.12 (b) and 10.10 (d) in our Terms And Conditions.
For full delivery terms, visit section 9, and refund information, visit section 10 in our full terms and conditions
Sorry, this product has been discontinued.


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[Issue Of Principle]
In November, the British Commonwealth will hold its biannual meeting of Heads of State and Government, otherwise known as Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), in Kampala, Uganda.
Ironically, the host president, Yoweri Museveni, has violated virtually all of the stated principles of the Commonwealth, the most important of which are the rule of law, human rights and democratic pluralism.
To host the summit, Ugandan president, Museveni, has devoted the meagre resources of the country to build hotels, buy custom-made vehicles, refurbish roads and hire hundreds of security personnel for the comfort of the dignitaries, while thousands of people languish in concentration camps and prisons and the country at large without health care, clean water, food and proper sanitation.
Three basic questions ought to be asked about CHOGM to raise awareness about the historical function and the practical usefulness of the Commonwealth to the great majority of Africans. A historical understanding of the Commonwealth might also serve an important purpose: arm us with the knowledge to help avoid some of the mistakes of the past.
To begin with, what is the Commonwealth; and whose interests has it historically represented? Second, why does a militarist ruler like Yoweri Museveni mobilize resources to subsidize the comfort of the powerful and wealthy during the summit at a time when most citizens are yearning for human security and fundamental rights? And third, what are some of the criteria used to choose a host country?
To answer the first question, we need to review the history of the Commonwealth. Its existence is mostly a legacy of British colonial imperialism. But because of changing circumstances, it has become a curious institution with chameleon modes of operation. Put plainly, although it might appear anachronistic, it has assumed its current form for pragmatic reasons to realize its objectives in changing circumstances.
The official website of the Commonwealth Secretariat publicizes that the Commonwealth is an association of 53 independent states consulting and cooperating in the common interests of their people. It further states that it works on the basis of principles and declarations.
The first fundamental statement of core values is the Declaration of Commonwealth Principles which was issued at the 1971 summit in Singapore. Among other things, it stresses the need to foster international peace and security; democracy; liberty of the individual and equal rights for all; the importance of eradicating poverty, ignorance and disease; and it opposes all forms of racial discrimination. The Singapore Declaration emphasizes commitment to the inalienable rights of citizens to participate by means of free and democratic political processes in framing the society in which they live.
In the 1991 Harare (Zimbabwe) Commonwealth Declaration, the principles adopted in Singapore were elaborated and explicitly linked to promoting sustainable development. And at the 2002 CHOGM in Australia, the Singapore principles were further amplified, to reaffirm shared commitment to democracy, the rule of law, good governance, freedom of expression and the promotion of human rights.
To what extent has the Commonwealth been guided by these principles? It is often one thing to state high-sounding principles and it is quite another to translate the principles into practical reality. Before evaluation is made of the extent to which the principles have been adhered to, it is appropriate to provide a historical backdrop to the present Commonwealth.
To understand how the British Commonwealth evolved and to appreciate its dynamic modus vivendi, an appreciation of history is a great asset. Professors Ronald Robinson and John Gallagher, two distinguished British scholars, show in their seminal work, Africa and the Victorians: Official Mind of Imperialism, that British approach to Africa was quite consistent for most of the nineteenth century. They conclude that the British establishment always preferred informal control when possible and opted for direct formal intervention only when necessary. By logical extension, the same approach predominated in twentieth century.
The triple abiding objectives of the modus vivendi were and are: to secure geo-strategic territories; to exploit and control trade; and to use the profits of trade to establish a financial hub of the world in London. All three have as their ultimate goal, the insurance of the welfare of British kin and kith.
In fact, the Imperial Commonwealth was originally instituted to achieve two principal and over-lapping objectives. These were: to foster the interests and unity of the British race; and to contain the growth of nationalism among colonized people. In the twentieth century, it first operated under the rubric of "Dominion". Before the conclusion of World War II and the independence of the Indian subcontinent, its membership consisted of Britain, white South Africa, Australia, Canada and New Zealand.
However, in 1948, in the aftermath of the independence of India, Pakistan and Ceylon (Sri Lanka), the white club reluctantly admitted the so-called Asian Dominions. With non-white races in the club, the cozy and intimate nature of the meetings changed to ones characterized by politeness. By the mid-1960s, during the era of decolonization of African territories under British rule, Commonwealth meetings became more robust and rather annoying to the original club members.
Although the rules of interaction in the Commonwealth have changed from time to time, the central interests to be served have remained essentially the same. What should be understood and made clear is the distinction between means and ends. The means by which the British Empire was created was generally through demonstration of military might as right. It was sustained through socio-cultural engineering in which imperialism was marketed as benevolence; and the colonized were expected to aspire to acquire, imbibe, hold and promote its artifacts as indices of civilization.
The cultural aspects of the British Commonwealth have often been as perplexing as snares that are well constructed and placed strategically to capture prey. An integral politico-cultural aspect of the British Commonwealth, which the British media have marketed as merely symbolic, but in fact arguably the most potent in the arsenals to effect British ends, is the monarchy.
In the Commonwealth, the Queen, as the representative of the British monarchy, is regarded as the titular and unifying head of the club. In Africa as elsewhere in the world, the Queen is more often than not treated with reverence and curious adulation. Yet the Queen is more than simply a ceremonial head; she in fact serves a very vital purpose.
In order to gain some insights into the critical function the Queen serves in the Commonwealth, we might learn by analogy from an unlikely source who wrote about the role of the monarchy in the political set-up of Britain in late nineteenth century.
Walter Bagehot, an English journalist of aristocratic background, published in 1867 a book titled The English Constitution. In it, he examined closely how public business was in fact transacted, as distinguished from the way in which its transaction was officially described. He found out that in fact the monarchy together with the aristocracy in the House of Lords, with their mystique, provided an important dignified façade of constitutional rule in England. It was this dignified role of the monarchy, exhibited in theatrical pageantry, which dazzled the population into semi-filial identity with, mystical reverence of, and habit of obedience to, the ruling class.
Is the role of the Queen in the Commonwealth different from the one portrayed by Walter Bagehot? We should draw broad lessons from his instructive conclusions. In particular, we should appreciate the symbolic and "dignified" role of the Queen in the Commonwealth, which is to dazzle if not mystify the people. It is fair to summarize that the more things seem to change, the more they remain the same. Or rather, they remain the same under different guises.
Thus next month, during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Kampala, it should be expected that the Queen will be entertained with pulsating African dances and the legendry African hospitality. She will likely also be treated more or less as a demi-goddess. While the people who dance and celebrate the occasion might temporarily forget their abject conditions of poverty and oppression under the militarist dictatorship, the business of the Commonwealth will be done efficiently by both visible and invisible hands, largely to foster powerful interests.
To be sure, a number of African elites will play their assigned role obediently in the well- choreographed drama. The president of Uganda, Yoweri Museveni, will give the cues and provide the lead and then bask in the glow of CHOGM, which he will most likely construe as international vote of confidence in his administration. This should be understandable, given his dismal record in the area of democratic pluralism and the rule of law at home. He needs to compensate for what he lacks internally, with external approval, complemented by the military.
From a rational perspective, therefore, the skewed priorities by President Museveni can be explained, though not endorsed. They are intended to win and assure external support from forces to which he has mortgaged the interests and future of the country. It is the external support, not the will of Ugandans, which has become the lifeblood of Museveni's administration. The truth is that no country in Africa has received more foreign support, whether in terms of financial resources, diplomatic backing, or BBC propaganda, than Uganda under Yoweri Museveni. The quid pro quo formula between Museveni and the Old Dominion is as old as politics. Certainly, Museveni knows that he cannot alienate the forces that keep him in power. Thus he has accordingly shown more loyalty to his foreign backers than to Ugandans. They in turn have chosen to reward him for his fealty with the privilege to host the CHOGM.
The privilege is, however, dubious. For politically conscious Ugandans and progressive Africans, the CHOGM in Kampala is more or less a sore historical reminder of what happened during the Singapore CHOGM in 1971.
Although the principles adopted in Singapore are laudable and are supposed to anchor the Commonwealth, they are also emblematic of the hydra chameleon nature of the Commonwealth. This is so because while the Declaration was being adopted in 1971, the British government under Edward Heath was working to subvert the principles, by overthrowing through military means one of the Declaration's champions and the democratically elected president of Uganda at the time, Milton Obote. In his place, agents of the British government and other foreign forces installed the military dictator, Idi Amin, whom they praised as a gentle giant and who set in train a reign of terror, which the Museveni regime learnt from and perfected.
Milton Obote was overthrown with the assistance of British agents because he asserted his independence and refused to be a conduit for British interests to the exclusion of the welfare of Africans. It was in Singapore that Milton Obote took the then British Prime Minister, Edward Heath, to task for the lack of robust action against Ian Smith's contempt for the democratic rights of Africans in Zimbabwe, as legally symbolized in his Unilateral Declaration of Independence (UDI) in Zimbabwe, then Rhodesia, and for the British plan to sell arms to apartheid South Africa at a time when the Black majority were systematically denied fundamental rights.
It might seem confusing to the politically and historically naïve that Obote was overthrown for standing up for what were formally accepted as the principles of the Commonwealth. A reference to the Robinson and Gallagher thesis, cited above, should help solve what seems a puzzle. The truth is that the rhetorical principles of the Commonwealth, designed for public relations, have often been at variance with the action of the Commonwealth, which is still driven by the old idea of the British Dominion.
It was Obote's challenge of Britain on issues of Pan-African significance that drew the ire of the "mother country", which resulted in his ouster from power in Uganda. A half a decade before, the great champion of Pan-Africanism, Kwame Nkrumah, had been demonized and ousted from power for similar reasons and in a manner not different from the overthrow of Obote.
This leads to the third question posed above: what criteria are used to select a host country. It is apparent that symbolic geographical rotation is one criterion. Beyond this, it seems that an essential criterion is good standing with the Old Dominion rather than fidelity to the principles for which the Commonwealth is retailed to stand for. This is a conclusion arrived at from analysis of the practice of the Commonwealth. How else can Uganda hosting CHOGM in November be explained, when the current regime has violated practically all of the principles enunciated in Singapore, elaborated in Harare, Zimbabwe and amplified in Australia?
It must be remembered that the hosting of CHOGM by Uganda was confirmed in Malta about two years ago, at the very time when Museveni was showing total contempt for the rule of law and principles of democracy. In fact, during the period, Museveni did not only trump up charges and lock up the leading opposition leader in the country, Dr. Kizza Besigye, but also used his secret police to intimidate the judiciary. He also changed the constitution of the country to permit him to be in power virtually for life. Moreover, at the time, Transparency International Index showed that corruption among the ruling elites had reached epidemic proportions.
These were in addition to the fact that Museveni authorized Uganda's military forces to invade, occupy and plunder the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in blatant violation of the UN Charter, international humanitarian and human rights laws. Indeed, in December 2005, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled against Uganda for contravention of Article 2(4) of the UN Charter and ordered it to pay damages of $6-10 billion to the DRC for illegal invasion of the DRC.
In light of Museveni's record of violating the principles of the Commonwealth and the Charter of the United Nations, how should Africans construe the vote of confidence given him to host the CHOGM summit in Kampala? For most reasonable people, it must mean that the Commonwealth takes African welfare and interests as expendable; and that it uses the principles of the Organization simply for public relations.
All of these remind us that as CHOGM draws closer, it should be understood that the British Commonwealth is not simply a relic of history but also an institution that assumes many different guises to advance various interests. However, whatever view we might have about its historical role, the Commonwealth would be of practical relevance to African people if its operations are informed by rights-based principles to advance the causes of social justice, the rule of law, human rights and democratic pluralism.
As a general rule, the credibility and usefulness of the Commonwealth have often been severely undermined when ethical principles were or are compromised for the sake of raw power politics and strategic advantage. To redeem itself, the Commonwealth should learn from the African Union (AU), which twice denied the president of the Sudan the privilege to host the AU Summit because of the violations of human rights in the country.
The Commonwealth would therefore be better served by applying uniformly to all its members the principles adopted in Singapore, and refined in Harare and Australia.
A good beginning might be for CHOGM in November to demonstrate courage and speak up against the violations of its stated principles by the host president, Yoweri Museveni. Otherwise, what might seem like the Commonwealth's penchant to make a mockery of its avowed principles should be taken as deliberate strategy to foster conditions and support individuals keen to keep Africans in permanent servitude.
Given the sacrifices Africans made and continue to make in the struggles to improve their lot by throwing off the yoke of formal imperialism, it is not unreasonable to demand for an organization that reflects the interests of the great majority of Africans and also responds to the aspirations for the enhancement of their human dignity and self-worth.
Black Star News columnist Professor Amii Omara-Otunnu is UNESCO Chair in Human Rights, Executive-Director of the UConn-ANC Partnership and Professor of History at the University of Connecticut, Storrs. His column appears bi-weekly online and in the newspaper.
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If you sign in to Windows with a Microsoft account, you need to use a password. Your password helps keep your account secure, no matter what PC you sign in to or what apps, settings, and services you use while you're signed in.
If you don't want to enter your password every time you sign in, you can create other sign-in options to use with your account, like a picture password or a PIN. If your PC has a fingerprint scanner, you can also sign in with a fingerprint. (Whichever sign-in option you choose, you still need a "regular" password in place to use a Microsoft account.)
- Swipe in from the right edge of the screen, and then tap Search.
(If you're using a mouse, point to the lower-right corner of the screen, move the mouse pointer up, and then click Search.)
- Enter sign, and then tap or click Change sign-in options.
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I was wondering if anyone here is using a Wacom Pro Pen 2 (it comes with the Intuos Pro 2017, Mobile Studio Pro and Cintiq Pro) .
After 6 years I finally bought a new Intuos Pro but the problem is that the nib of the new pen seems to be more loose compared to my old Grip Pen.
Has anyone experienced this?
The new nibs seem to be a little bit smaller and wiggle a lot more inside of the pen.
Wacom Pro Pen 2
To talk about anything else
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1 post • Page 1 of 1
Wacom Pro Pen 2
MAC OS 10.11.6 - TVpaint 11.0.8 PRO 64bit, Wacom Intuos Pro
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1 post • Page 1 of 1


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New With TagFossil SML Cosmetic Floral pouchBought price Rm199Please refer picture No.5 (due to storage)
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NGO News in Brief
By NGO Monitor
December 4, 2007
NGO campaigns against Israel's Gaza policy continue the Durban strategy
As NGO Monitor has reported, a number of influential international NGOs – including Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Oxfam, Christian Aid, and ICAHD (funded by the European Union) – published highly political statements in advance of the Annapolis peace summit (November 27). Most used similar rhetoric, repeating one-sided condemnations of Israeli policy in response to attacks from Hamas-controlled Gaza, including accusations of "collective punishment" and blame for a "humanitarian crisis".
After the summit, more groups joined the campaign. On November 28, 2007 29 NGOs issued a joint statement, including Defense for Children International–Palestine Section, Oxfam , World Vision–Jerusalem, American Friends Service Committee, Medecins Du Monde, Medical Aid for Palestine (UK), Mercy Corps, and Terre des Hommes. They charge that Israel's "decision to limit fuel and potentially electricity to the general population constitutes a form of collective punishment which directly contravenes international humanitarian law." Israel is also condemned for "indiscriminate attacks and other human rights violations and abuses against civilians." Following the pattern of the past decade and the 2001 Durban strategy of demonization, these NGOs largely ignore systematic Palestinian violations of human rights, and use pseudo-legal language to deny Israelis the right to self-defense against terror. As a result, these NGO statements lack credibility and further undermine the universality of human rights norms.
Ford Foundation funds conference promoting new Middle East NGO forum
The Ford Foundation and Canadian Center for International Governance Innovation (CIGI) sponsored a conference in Istanbul on International Humanitarian Law (IHL) in September, 2007. The forum was convened by the Washington, D.C. based Fund for Peace, with the aim of "rais[ing] public consciousness and press[ing] decision makers to do more to protect civilians caught in conflict." In addition to a number of journalists and academics, other participants included Sarah Leah Whitson and Joe Stork of Human Rights Watch, Executive Director of ACRI Rachel Benziman, UPMRC board member Allam Jarrar, Arab Association for Human Rights (HRA) director Mohammed Zeidan, and Hansjoerg Strohmeyer of UN-OCHA.
Attendees signed the "Boshphorus Consensus", which restated articles of IHL relating to civilians, and declared the intention to set up a "new regional forum consisting of local civilian (non governmental) organizations… to jointly monitor and publicly report on attacks on civilians by state and non state actors." The document also promises to "promote the advancement of these principles…through advocacy…." (Publicity for this document's release continued in November.)
NGO Monitor has documented in detail the highly biased and politicized approach of NGOs such as HRW, UPMRC, HRA (as well as UN-OCHA). Hopefully, the "Bosphorus Consensus" will be used as the basis for the promotion of universal human rights across the Middle East, rather than for narrow and politicized anti-Israel campaigning.
Durban Conference 2009: Update
The NGO Forum of the 2001 UN World Conference Against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance initiated a coordinated campaign of virulent anti-Israel demonization – the "Durban Strategy." The UN's "Durban II" 2009 forum is intended to focus on implementation of the 2001 resolution.
In November 2007, activities aimed at furthering the "Durban Strategy" and the planning of the "Durban 2009" conference continued. The NGO Committee Against Racism (part of the Conference of Non-Governmental Organizations in Consultative Relationship with the United Nations [CONGO]) held a meeting November 7, to begin planning for the scheduled meetings of the Durban II Preparatory Committee to be held in the first half of 2008. And on November 20, the Third Committee of the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution to advance the Durban II process. According to the watchdog group, "Eye on the UN," these activities have been met with a level of opposition and criticism: "there was a clear signal [in November] that Durban II will not be allowed to claim consensus and its credibility will be challenged throughout the build up [to the planned 2009 conference]." "Eye on the UN" cites the public condemnation of the "Durban Declaration and Programme of Action," by the United States and Israel, and the US delegate stated that his country "has well-known, principled objections to the overall direction and procedures leading up to the planned Durban Review Conference..."
NGO Monitor continues to scrutinize NGO involvement in planning the 2009 Conference. To view the NGO Monitor Durban 2009 essentials page, click here.
European governments, charities continue to fund War on Want, ignoring radical campaigning
In the past, British charity War on Want (WoW) – whose radical political activities have drawn intense criticism – has failed to provide financial details on its website. A copy of the NGO's 2006 official submission to the UK Charity Commission has now become available on the Charity Commission's site, which includes details of WoW's government funding sources.
In 2006, it received £300,006 from the UK Department for International Development (DFID), £229,820 from the European Commission, £34,017 from the UK National Lottery Charities Board, £24,696 from the Department of Foreign Affairs Ireland and £189,000 from Comic Relief, one of the UK's major charity campaigns (page 16). While funding amounts are listed, it is not clear how much from each source is directed towards WoW's "Palestine campaign;" no further information is available on the European Commission or the Irish Government's websites. (DFID lists WoW as a recipient of Civil Society Challenge Fund for humanitarian projects, unrelated to Israel.)
Such government and charitable support for WoW is highly problematic, given the NGO's radical politicized campaigning against Israel. Even if grants are directed, money is fungible, and institutional support also increases the NGO's credibility. The result is that WoW's total budget of £1,432,348 includes £535,536 allocated to "campaigning and policy work" which clearly contradicts stated EU, UK and policy goals. (See NGO Monitor's recent reports on EU Funding, DFID, and Irish Government Aid for more information on these guidelines.)
Amnesty International - Israel youth members promote refugee rights
PNGO, Badil and other NGOs hold anti-Israel Boycott conference in West Bank
Copyright 2003-2006 : DiscoverTheNetwork.org


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| 3.5°C Belfast
Myleene Klass has urged the public to help find a street robber who tried to snatch her sister's handbag and dragged her pensioner mother on the ground as she tried to stop him.
The attempted robbery happened as her sister Jessie, 33, and 67-year-old mother Magdalena were walking in Whittingham Road, Wood Green, in north London, at around 9.20pm on January 7.
He eventually fled empty-handed but only after Myleene's sister was assaulted as she resisted the attack, Scotland Yard said.
A police spokesman said: "The male assaulted her, he dragged her to the ground, pulling her along the pavement and continued to assault her. A 67-year-old woman tried to hold on to the victim and was also dragged along during the violent struggle."
Speaking as north London's Haringey police released CCTV stills of a suspect they are keen to trace, Myleene said: "I am horrified by what happened to my mum and sister, as anyone would be if this were a member of their own family, and I urge any person that knows anything or can help in any way to please come forward."
Her sister received minor injuries but did not require hospital treatment and no items were taken. Both women were very distressed by the incident, Scotland Yard said. No arrests have been made.
Detective Constable Pat Dunne said: "This was a terrifying attack on two women on a main road. I'm confident someone will be able to identify the suspect pictured in the images released today."
Witnesses and people with information can contact police on the incident hotline 0203 2763070 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 11.